


The Shrine

by MrProphet



Series: Doctor Susan [2]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 16:43:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10700988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrProphet/pseuds/MrProphet





	The Shrine

“What did you call this place?” Ian asked.

“This is The Eye of Orion,” the Doctor replied. “It’s one of the most tranquil places in the universe, and also a fixed point in space and time; that makes it very useful for establishing a coordinate base. It is also, as it happens, located at one end of a spatio-temporal rift, which makes it a perfect place to recharge the engines of the TARDIS. Frankly, the poor girl was getting a little weary.”

“So, how does this work?” Barbara asked. “We’re… on another planet, right?”

“That’s right,” the Doctor agreed.

“But it was only a few minutes ago that we were on Earth,” Barbara protested. “How can we have come so far, so fast?”

“Oh, speed has nothing to do with the matter,” the Doctor snapped. “And technically it’s something like one-hundred-and-fifty years since we were on Earth. I can be more precise without a full database or access to the Web of Time.” She shook her grey head. “I don’t understand what’s happened,” she admitted. “We shouldn’t ever need to recharge the engines.”

Ian walked over and took her by the arm. “It’s alright, grandmother. We’ll find the answers in…” He chuckled. “Well; in time.”

“I suppose so,” the Doctor sighed. “Now, where is that sister of yours, Barbara? We’ll need to leave here soon; keep travelling. It’s the only way we can build up a sufficiently detailed database for navigation.”

“She’s off playing,” Ian said. “I’ll go and find her.”

The Doctor chuckled as she watched him go. “He’s keen, isn’t he?”

“Keen?” Barbara asked.

“To impress you,” the Doctor said.

“I’m several hundred lightyears from home, Doctor,” Barbara laughed. “We’ve travelled across the galaxy in the twinkling of an eye, in his grandmother’s garden shed. Trust me, I’m impressed.”

“Hm. Well, it might not do any harm to let him know that,” the Doctor suggested. “Just at the moment I think he’s feeling the lack of a flowing greatcoat, hm?”

Barbara blushed. “I barely met him. And he wasn’t – all that – dashing,” she insisted.

The Doctor gave an impish smile. “Of course not, dear. Now…”

“Barbara! Doctor!” Barbara’s sister, Susan, came running over the brow of a hill. She scrambled awkwardly to a halt and gasped: “Ian says you have to come quickly!”

They went as fast as the Doctor could managed, which was much faster than Barbara would have thought. She was old, but very spry. They found Ian standing in front of a large, grey obelisk, staring.

“It’s a rock,” Barbara said. “It’s a big rock,” she allowed, “but…”

“Barbara!” Ian’s voice was harsh; brittle.

“It’s all right, Ian,” the Doctor whispered. Her eyes wee brimming with tears. “They don’t see. They  _can’t_  see. This is for time sensitives.” She reached out and took Susan’s hand, and the girl gasped.

Slowly, aware that this was a situation which called for delicacy, but not  _why_ , Barbara moved to stand beside Ian. She reached out and took his hand.

With a sudden snap, the world around them changed; the light was softer, the trees drifting in the breeze moved in slow motion. The obelisk unfolded, like a flower, becoming a shrine of shining marble which surrounded them. At the heart of the shrine was a black pedestal, marked with the symbols for alpha and omega. A flame flickered low in a bowl which sat on the pedestal.

On the wall behind the pedestal was a great plague, thick with writing.

“What’s a Time War?” Susan whispered.

The Doctor stepped up to the pedestal and breathed gently on the flame. What she exhaled was not merely air, but a brilliant stream of glowing particles. They gathered in the bowl and the flame leaped up higher.

“They’re all gone,” she whispered. “All gone.”

Ian squeezed Barbara’s hand and crossed to put an arm around his grandmother’s shoulders. Barbara moved with him and slipped her arm around his waist.

“I’m the last,” the Doctor breathed. “The Last of the Time Lords.”


End file.
